Department of Education and you

Why is there a Federal, Department of Education in America?

How does DOE serve America’s students?

1.     Establishes policies relating to federal financial aid for education, administers distribution of those funds and monitors their use.

2.     Collects data and oversees research on America's schools and disseminates this information to Congress, educators and the general public.

3.     identifies the major issues and problems in education and focuses national attention on them.

4.     Enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination in programs and activities receiving federal funds and ensures equal access to education for every individual. 

Source: https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/focus/what_pg2.html

Should the Department be closed? 

Is there a better way to accomplish these duties? 

How would you change the Department of Education in America?

New High School Principal

An email to share with all Americans

Yesterday I received an interesting and thought provoking email titled “A Speech Every American High School Principal Should Give.” I copied this into my word processing application, got it formatted and just right for publishing on Facebook and our Blog site.  Wanted to verify before broadcasting – so off to snoopes.com to see what they had to say (http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/principal.asp) – False!

Well darn folks! So I slept on this, pondering what I should do.  I for one would like to see more leaders take this bold stand – so here is the article – knowing it was not given – but the contents are meaningful and to be shared. 

So here it is -

A Speech Every American High School Principal Should Give.

America has lost its decency, manners, and politeness soon without quick changes character!

Listen to the young people, F-this, F-that, and nary anyone will step up and correct them- even with wife and kids in tow!

FINALLY - - Someone in the teaching profession had the courage to set the standards so badly needed NOW.

To the students and faculty of our high school:

I am your new principal, and honored to be so.

There is no greater calling than to teach young people.

I would like to apprise you of some important changes coming to our school. I am making these changes because I am convinced that most of the ideas that have dominated public education in America have worked against you, against your teachers and against our country.

First – this school will no longer honor race or ethnicity. I could not care less if your racial makeup is black, brown, red, yellow or white. I could not care less if your origins are African, Latin American, Asian or European, or if your ancestors arrived here on the Mayflower or on slave ships. The only identity I care about, the only one this school will recognize, is your individual identity -- your character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national identity this school will care about is American.

This is an American public school, and American public schools were created to make better Americans. If you wish to affirm an ethnic, racial or religious identity through school, you will have to go elsewhere. We will end all ethnicity, race and non-American nationality-based celebrations. They undermine the motto of America, one of its three central values -- epluribus Unum, "from many, one." And this school will be guided by America 's values. This includes all after-school clubs. I will not authorize clubs that divide students based on any identities. This includes race, language, religion, sexual orientation or whatever else may become in vogue in a society divided by political correctness.

Your clubs will be based on interests and passions, not blood, ethnic, racial or other physically defined ties. Those clubs just cultivate narcissism -- an unhealthy preoccupation with the self -- while the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond yourself. So we will have clubs that transport you to the wonders and glories of art, music, astronomy, languages you do not already speak, carpentry and more. If the only extracurricular activities you can imagine being interested in are those based on ethnic, racial or sexual identity, that means that little outside of yourself really interests you.

Second – I am uninterested in whether English is your native language. My only interest in terms of language is that you leave this school speaking and writing English as fluently as possible. The English language has united America 's citizens for over 200 years, and it will unite us at this school. It is one of the indispensable reasons this country of immigrants has always come to be one country. And if you leave this school without excellent English language skills, I would be remiss in my duty to ensure that you will be prepared to successfully compete in the American job market. We will learn other languages here -- it is deplorable that most Americans only speak English -- but if you want classes taught in your native language rather than in English, this is not your school.

Third – because I regard learning as a sacred endeavor, everything in this school will reflect the elevated status of learning. This means, among other things, that you and your teachers will dress accordingly. Many people in our society dress more formally for Hollywood events than for church or school. These people have their priorities backward. Therefore, there will be a formal dress code at this school.

Fourth – no obscene language will be tolerated anywhere on this school's property -- whether in class, in the hallways or at athletic events. If you can't speak without using the f -word, you can't speak. By obscene language I mean the words banned by the Federal Communications Commission, plus epithets such as "Nigger," even when used by one black student to address another black, or "bitch," even when addressed by a girl to a girlfriend. It is my intent that by the time you leave this school, you will be among the few your age to instinctively distinguish between the elevated and the degraded, the holy and the obscene.

Fifth – we will end all self-esteem programs. In this school, self-esteem will be attained in only one way -- the way people attained it until decided otherwise a generation ago -- by earning it. One immediate consequence is that there will be one valedictorian, not eight.

Sixth – and last, I am reorienting the school toward academics and away from politics and propaganda. No more time will be devoted to scaring you about smoking and caffeine, or terrifying you about sexual harassment or global warming. No more semesters will be devoted to condom wearing and teaching you to regard sexual relations as only or primarily a health issue... There will be no more attempts to convince you that you are a victim because you are not white, or not male, or not heterosexual or not Christian. We will have failed if any one of you graduates this school and does not consider him or herself inordinately fortunate -- to be alive and to be an American.

Now, please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of our country. As many of you do not know the words, your teachers will hand them out to you.

Your thoughts and comments?

Celebrating Teacher’s Day and Week

By Terry Orr

"Teachers, I believe, are the most responsible and important members of 

society because their professional efforts affect the fate of the earth."

~ Helen Caldicott, author and peace activist

"Teachers teach because they care. Teaching young people is what they do best. 

It requires long hours, patience, and care."

~ Horace Mann

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires."

~ William Arthur Ward

"There is an old saying that the course of civilization is a race between catastrophe and education. In a democracy such as ours, we must make sure that education wins the race."

~ John F. Kennedy

"Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher."

~ Japanese proverb

"The whole art of teaching is only the art of awakening the natural curiosity of young minds for the purpose of satisfying it afterwards."

~ Anatole France

"One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child."

~ Carl Jung

"In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers 

and the rest of us would have to settle for something less."

~ Lee Iacocca

"Above all things I hope the education of the common people will be attended to; convinced that on their good sense we may rely with most security for the preservation of a due degree of liberty."

~ Thomas Jefferson

From all of us at KISBYTO, our families and friends –

Thank You!

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Recognizing Special Education Day 12/2/12

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By Diane Forrest

A friend of mine's daughter recently found out she was pregnant.  The whole family was elated, she has two small boys, and is in her twenties.  Everything was wonderful until she received a call from her doctor.  The results showed that she had a 1 in 350 chance of having a child born with down's syndrome.  The family was crushed.  There was no history of Down's syndrome on either side of the families, and the mother was having a difficult time grasping this concept.

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I tried to calm her, explaining that those odds were too high to be concerned about, and the results were inconclusive until an ultrasound confirmed the diagnosis.  It is every parent's desire to have a healthy baby, but sometimes that is not the case, so I began to help her to prepare for the alternative.  As I began thinking about the possibility of a baby born with Down's Syndrome, I thought about all the great changes that have been made in that area.

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Children born with Down's syndrome are now not being separated in schools or activities, but are being included in schools and provided special education training needs. On December 2, 1975, President Gerald Ford signed the Handicap Children's Act that would open doors for all Children to gain access to education.

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Today marks the 8th anniversary of Special Education Day.  We take the day to honor progress and celebrate students with disabilities--and their parents, teachers and schools. And, we dialogue and plan for the future for all students in our schools and for appropriate reforms.  To learn how you can help to celebrate this day, or ways to help children with special education needs in your community, visit this site:  http://www.specialeducationday.com/

Diabetes Education Week – 2012 Update

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By Terry Orr

I am a Type-2 Diabetic – non-insulin and have been for nearly twenty years and I am still learning more and more about this disease and complications from diabetes. Today’s article focuses on two primary areas – Managing Diabetes and good references/links for excellent education information and support.

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Managing Diabetes - It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.

The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) website provides a wealth of excellent information on diabetes.  Diabetes Education Materials for People with Diabetes and their Families:

• 4 Steps to Control Your Diabetes - For Life;
• Know Your Blood Sugar Numbers;
• Help a Loved One with Diabetes; and
• “A Guide to Changing Habits.”

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Step 1: Learn about diabetes.

Diabetes means that your blood glucose (blood sugar) is too high. There are two main types of diabetes.

• Type 1 diabetes - the body does not make insulin. Insulin helps the body use glucose from food for energy. People with type 1 need to take insulin every day.
• Type 2 diabetes - the body does not make or use insulin well. People with type 2 often need to take pills or insulin. Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes.
• Gestational (jes-TAY-shon-al) diabetes - occurs in some women when they become pregnant. It raises her future risk of developing diabetes, mostly type 2. It may raise her child's risk of being overweight and developing type 2 diabetes.

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Step 2: Know your diabetes ABCs.

Talk to your health care team about how to manage your A1C, Blood pressure, and Cholesterol. This can help lower your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or other diabetes problems. Here's what the ABCs of diabetes stand for:

A for the A1C test (A-one-C).

• It shows what your blood glucose has been over the last three months. The A1C goal for many people is below 7. High blood glucose can harm your heart and blood vessels, kidneys, feet, and eyes.

B for Blood pressure.

• The goal for most people with diabetes is below 130/80.
• High blood pressure makes your heart work too hard. It can cause heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.

C for Cholesterol (ko-LES-ter-ol).

• The LDL goal for people with diabetes is below 100.
• The HDL goal for men with diabetes is above 40.
• The HDL goal for women with diabetes is about 50.

LDL or “bad” cholesterol can build up and clog your blood vessels. It can cause a heart attack or a stroke. HDL or “good” cholesterol helps remove cholesterol from your blood vessels.

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Step 3: Manage your diabetes.

Many people avoid the long-term problems of diabetes by taking good care of themselves. Work with your health care team to reach your ABC target. Use this self-care plan.

• Follow your diabetes meal plan. If you do not have one, ask your health care team to help you develop a meal plan.
• Eat healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, fish, lean meats, chicken or turkey without the skin, dry peas or beans, whole grains, and low-fat or skim milk and cheese.
• Keep fish and lean meat and poultry portions to about 3 ounces (or the size of a deck of cards). Bake, broil, or grill it.
• Eat foods that have less fat and salt.
• Eat foods with more fiber such as whole grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta.
• Get 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. Brisk walking is a great way to move more.
• Stay at a healthy weight by using your meal plan and moving more.
• Ask for help if you feel down. A mental health counselor, support group, member of the clergy, friend, or family member who will listen to your concerns may help you feel better.
• Learn to cope with stress. Stress can raise your blood glucose. While it is hard to remove stress from your life, you can learn to handle it. NDEP's Diabetes HealthSense provides online access to resources that support people with diabetes in making changes to live well.
• Stop smoking. Ask for help to quit. Call 1-800-QUITNOW (1-800-784-8669)
• Take medicines even when you feel good. Ask your doctor if you need aspirin to prevent a heart attack or stroke. Tell your doctor if you cannot afford your medicines or if you have any side effects.
• Check your feet every day for cuts, blisters, red spots, and swelling. Call your health care team right away about any sores that do not go away.
• Brush your teeth and floss every day to avoid problems with your mouth, teeth, or gums
• Check your blood glucose. You may want to test it one or more times a day. Use the card at the back of this booklet to keep a record of your blood glucose numbers. Be sure to show it to your health care team.
• Check your blood pressure if your doctor advises.
• Report any changes in your eyesight to your health care team.

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Step 4: Get routine care.

See your health care team at least twice a year to find and treat any problems early.

At each visit be sure you have a:

• Blood pressure check
• Foot check
• Weight check
• Review of your self-care plan shown in Step 3

Two times each year have an:

• A1C test - it may be checked more often if it is over 7

Once each year be sure you have a:

• Cholesterol test
• Triglyceride (try-GLISS-er-ide) test - a type of blood fat
• Complete foot exam
• Dental exam to check teeth and gums - tell your dentist you have diabetes
• Dilated eye exam to check for eye problems
• Flu shot
• Urine and a blood test to check for kidney problems

At least once get a:

• Pneumonia (nu-mo-nya) shot
• Hepatitis B shot

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For those of us who have smartphones – I strongly recommend getting on of the many diabetes apps.  They come in all sorts of sizes, shapes, colors, and capabilities!  I have been using Diabetes Buddy on my iPhone for the past year or so – good app – but I am still looking for one that suits my specific needs.  Every couple of months, I begin my research looking for “that app” which may satisfy my needs. One feature that you should insist on is the ability to email those results to y our medial team.  Some automatically do so monthly – nice feature and many doctors appreciate getting the email and enter into your medical record.

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References and Links:

• http://ndep.nih.gov/partners-community-organization/campaigns/CydflManagingDiabetes.aspx
• http://www.cdc.gov/DIABETES/ndep/
• http://diabetesandmetabolism.com/
• http://www.galenmedical.com/www/docs/127.44/diabetes-education-chattanooga-tennessee
• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003996.htm

Family Sexuality Education Month

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Nurse Diane

I recently took a poll of some of my friends to see what their thought were on have "the talk" with their children.  The ones that I ask had never had the talk or even had the talk with their parents.

I had a job with a mobile nursing unit when I was in nursing school.  It was a large motor home that traveled around to area schools to teach and perform simple health exams such as checking blood pressure and blood sugar and cholesterol.  My job was to hold sex education classes and I also provided condoms to those who completed the class.  Because of this training, I had no fear about having the talk with my son.  I took him to the local dairy queen, got some banana splits, and started in on my discussion.  Halfway through, I noticed someone standing behind me, as I looked around, I saw a Nun standing there, listening to my speech.  I was horrified, but I was able to give some valuable information to my son, and correct some misinformation that he had received from classmates.

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Most of the ones I interviewed said they would prefer this information be taught in school; however, there are some parents that argue that it should be taught in the home.  This is a real disservice to those who don’t get "the talk" at home. I think the best solution is to find out when this subject will be taught in the classroom, and hold your discussion at home beforehand.  The information you teach, along with the classroom information will only help to improve knowledge, and should any questions arise, then you can be there to answer them to the best of your ability.  The tragedy comes when neither school nor family teaches the child, and the information they get comes from classmates and friends.  This reminds me of a joke:

On the way back home from school, my grandson asked my son THE question. "Dad, where do babies come from?" he said. "I know they come from mommies' tummies, but how they get in there in the first place?" I tried to stifle a laugh as my son stuttered and tried to find an explanation suitable for my grandchild. Finally my grandson shouted in disgust, "it’s okay, Dad! You don't have to make up the answer if you don't know! "Ha ha ha:)

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This month is family sexuality education month.  If you have young ones in your family, take some time to talk with them, find out what they know, and how much is correct, and make sure to answer any questions they have. This way, you know the information they receive is correct, and their knowledge can prevent any sexually transmitted diseases or unwanted pregnancies.